Dylan Brasher, Dan Sartori seal most dominant win of Premier Cricket season
Footscray sealed the most dominant win of the Premier Cricket season, dismantling Casey-South Melbourne, behind Dylan Brasher’s century.
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Footscray stamped itself as a finals threat on Saturday with the most dominant win of the Premier Cricket season.
A Dylan Brasher century guided the Dogs to a “emphatic and clinical” 10-wicket win over Casey-South Melbourne at Merv Hughes Oval.
Star allrounder Dean Russ was a late withdrawal on the morning of the match due to a COVID scare but it mattered not as Footscray continued its undefeated start.
Having dismissed the Swans for 193, Brasher (101 not out) and Dan Sartori (88 not out) wrapped up victory in just 38 overs.
Dogs coach Allan Wise revealed both batsmen had a little extra motivation heading into the match.
“Dylan’s a young, highly talented player, he’s humble but no doubt he would have been disappointed to miss out on the (Victoria) Second XI game through the week,” Wise said.
“A few of his contemporaries were playing in that and to back it up with a performance like that after riding the disappointment is really important for him.
“He’s been starting really fast, getting us off to a flyer, but not been able to go on and get a big score.
“We talk about respecting the player you are and being true to the player you want to be and he was able to build his innings slowly and then accelerate and show off a few of his new shots.
“Dan missed out the first couple of games but he’s a class performer and has a history of strong performances.
“It was only a matter of time before he got some runs and I think getting a life got him going.
“It’s the same as last season, he missed out the first couple of game and then had a fantastic year.”
Both batsmen hit 11 boundaries in a blazing chase but while Brasher and Sartori hogged the run, the wickets were shared around by the Dogs’ attack.
Ash Armstrong (2-14), Ben Roosenboom (2-31), Max Birthisel (2-35) and Jake Reed (2-41) all picked up a brace while there were two run outs.
Roosenboom secured the key wicket of Casey opener Ash Chandrasinghe, fresh off a pair of half centuries for Victoria’s Second XI,
Armstrong broke a dangerous 63-run partnership when he ran out Chris Benedek (27) and had Swans’ top-scorer Harrish Kannan (59) shortly after to halt any momentum.
Wise said the Dogs’ attack was a work in progress but was pleased with the balance on Saturday.
“It’s great having Jake (Reed) back, he adds that experience and aggression at the top, and we’re finding out mix behind him,” Wise said.
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“Max bowled quite well with the new ball and is developing nicely and Ben came on and got a couple of quick wickets, which he can do, and the spinners were good through the middle.
“Ash Armstrong was able to chip in and get a couple of important wickets and we got a couple of run outs, so it was a strong all-round performance.”
Footscray expects to get Russ back for this Saturday’s blockbuster against Melbourne at Merv Hughes Oval.
The Demons are coming off a loss to ladder-leader St Kilda.
THE “DEANS SHOW” KEEPS DOGS UNDEFEATED
A virtuoso performance from Dean Russ inspired Footscray on Saturday.
The star all-rounder Russ produced match-best efforts with bat and ball to ensure the Dogs secured a seven-wicket win over Dandenong and remain unbeaten in Premier Cricket.
Russ claimed 2-30 with the ball before closing out the match with an unbeaten 79 at Shepley Oval.
Chasing the Panthers’ 8-185, Russ and skipper Travis Dean (52) combined for a match-winning 109-run third-wicket partnership, the Dogs finishing the chase with four over remaining.
Footscray wicketkeeper Dylan Kight had a box seat behind the stumps and at the other end with the bat, finishing 21 not out.
“It was pretty much the Dean Show with Dean Russ and a mix of Trav Dean,” he said.
“Rusty’s been working hard on his bowling and he’s a genuine wicket-taker for us now.
“He’s a threat to the opposition with bat and ball, he was really good with the ball and was obviously clinical with the bat, as was Trav.
“We were 2-30 but it was 2-30 after four overs, young Dylan Brasher got off to an absolute flyer and we were well ahead of the run-rate, so it was basically a chase of 150.
“At one stage I was thinking it would be nice to sit there and not have to go in with Trav and Rusty doing all the work.
“When I came in, Dean accelerated again and he got it down to 15 (to win) before I had to do anything.
“It was good to win three down, it’s a more emphatic win, and everything helps on the one-day ladder with net run-rate.”
Russ also took two wickets and scored 43 as the Dogs chased down 225 to beat Geelong in the season opener.
In stark contrast to last season, Footscray is sitting fourth, one of five teams to win both games.
The return of paceman Jake Reed has been a major boost.
The former Victoria and Big Bash League quick picked up 2-41, including the key wickets Brett Forsyth, backing up 3-37 last week against the Cats.
Max Birthisel, Ben Roosenboom and Siddhesh Dixit all picked up one wicket.
But the biggest wicket and arguably moment of the match belonged to Kight, when he ran out Dandenong dangerman Tom Donnell.
“It was a bit of a weird one, everyone was a bit confused,” Kight said.
“It was off Dean Russ’ bowling, the batsman top-edged a slog sweep, it went directly over my head and I just ran back and picked it up.
“The batsman were stuck in the middle of the wicket, I threw it without even realising I had time to walk up and take the bails off, so lucky I hit.
“They were literally standing right next to each other and lucky enough for us Tommy Donnell found himself on the wrong side of that.”
Footscray will look to make it three from three when it hosts Casey-South Melbourne at Merv Hughes Oval.
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Kight said a renewed focus had been a major difference over the off-season after missing the finals in 2020-21.
“We’re trying to focus on ourselves this year, I think last year we got caught up a bit in focusing on external things and the opposition,” he said.
“We’ve got Callum Appleyard on board, he’s really analytical, and brought a completely different side of the game to us.
“Our best is good enough to beat anybody but last year showed our worst, anyone can come and beat us, so we’ve got to bridge the gap.”
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